Cortona to Gubbio and Perugia: Private day trip

Settled since the Bronze Age, Gubbia was an important city for the Umbrians, and the Iguvian tablets discovered here in 1444 constitute the largest surviving text in the Umbrian language. After being conquered by the Romans in the 2nd century BC, it maintained its prominence, as its Roman theatre, the second-largest left in the world, can attest. The city’s medieval center was the result of a 14th century boom, as embodied by the magnificent Palazzo dei Consoli. Reminiscent of a castle-in-miniature, palace overlooks an amazing hanging square, and the Praetorian Palace. The Ducal Palace houses an exact reproduction of the duke’s study of the duke, as the original exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. After wandering the town’s cobbled streets, past its many medieval monuments, be sure to sit down to enjoy one of Gubbio’s famous pasta dishes with truffles, which are produced in strict compliance with ancient techniques.

Founded by the Etruscans around the 6th century BC, the city was legendary amongst Roman authors by the time it was assimilated into the Republic. Sitting 1,640 ft above sea level, the old town is partly surrounded two sets of walls. The medieval wall is still largely intact, and has several entrances, such as the Cassero di Porta Sant'Angelo. The inner, Etruscan wall, was built using massive boulders. A few remains of the Roman era still survive, including an amphitheatre outside Porta Marzia, and what is likely a mausoleum under St. Peter’s bell tower. The Piazza IV Novembre, with its magnificent Maggiore Fountain, is the best way to experience the essence of the city. Facing the square is the 13th century Palazzo dei Priori, which houses the National Gallery of Umbria, while the facade of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo boasts the pulpit where Saint Bernardino used to preach.